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Monday, February 6, 2012

John Kirk Awarded Medal of Friendship

by Dalia Gonzalez Delgado

THE Cuban Council of State’s Friendship Medal was awarded December 14 to Canadian John Kirk, during a ceremony at the national headquarters of the Cuban Institute of Friendship with the Peoples (ICAP).

Kirk expressed his gratitude upon receiving the distinction saying he was a great devotee of José Martí. "Martí changed my life. Although I have written about other topics, his influence is always present in my work."

He also addressed the relations between Cuba and Canada, especially academic interchanges.

John Kirk is a member of the Latin American Studies faculty at the University of Dalhouisie and an expert in Cuba’s political history. He has written several books about the country and is a member of the editorial board of the British International Journal of Cuban Studies and Cuban Studies published in the United States. Over the past five years he has been investigating Cuba’s international medical missions.

Also in attendance at the ceremony were Matthew Levin, Canada’s ambassador to Cuba; Josefina Vidal Ferreiro, director of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ North America Department and Kenia Serrano, president of ICAP.

Granma International

USA: Aimed at Controlling the World Néstor Núñez (AIN)The United States has historically imposed its mandates onto other nations that are not of the liking of the Oval Office. Washington believes that it’s got the “divine right” because it has the perfect, more just, democratic, free “civilization”, protector of all and that is destined to impose its thinking onto the so called “useless, hateful and corrupted nations”.

As a result of this Washington believes also that it has the right to unilaterally destroy other countries even when its own house is falling apart.

Former foreign affairs advisor to British ex Prime Minister Antony Blair, Robert Cooper said years ago: “We must get used to the idea of a double moral”.

Although these are only a few words, he added that the worst will come to those that do not surrender to Washington’s rules, while those that give in to its impositions will never be bothered.

As Pakistani author Tariq Ali said in his book The Collision of the fundamentalists, “this cynical attitude is to punish the so called crimes of the enemy and reward its friends.”

Washington prepares the international community for their war of aggression with tactics like amplifying a mistake or lying about its opponents.

For example the US is stigmatizing the Iranian nuclear program focused on peaceful goals and means, while they do not mention the Israeli nuclear arsenals dating back decades ago and which does not report to anyone.

The fight against terrorism in the world is the theme of the day and while assassins like Luis Posada Carriles are protected by Washington, five Cubans were put behind bars for having defended the island against terrorists based in southern Florida.

Progressive nations are attacked on a daily basis because of they are accused of drug trafficking while within the US itself the local mafia is getting richer with the addicts that swarm in the largest drug market in the world.

Cuba has been a constant victim of the US global policy; reason why the island has insisted in denouncing Washington’s modus operandi that destroys the main principle of respect among nations stipulated by International Law.

Cuba has not stopped being a victim of the enemy campaign tied to horrendous acts from subversive actions in the hemisphere during the early days of the triumph of the Revolution, to human rights violations, ties to terrorism, drug trafficking and other crimes. Actions aimed by Washington because of its passionate bid to control the world.